The Fifth Column
29th Chapters stand in the Hip-hop Culture
Hip-hop explained
The first thing any reader of this article should know about hip-hop is what it actually is. Hip-hop is not just one particular form of music but it is a culture, an identity, a way of life. Within this culture there are various forms of artistic expression such as rap, graffiti, dance, singing and Dj’ing. Fashion and language style also play a role. These things all come together to define a culture, which has won millions of young people from all over the globe. Views greatly vary on what a member of this culture should be, and unfortunately the stereotypical image of hip-hop is largely negative. This is plainly because hip hops most lucrative and widely known elements are its most negative and destructive
Famous rapper ice-T in a recent channel four documentary stated that hip-hop was like a tree with many branches, and on those branches were many expressions of hip-hop, and that ‘Christian’ hip hop was one of those branches. The analogy of a ‘tree’ of hip-hop is a good one, and an easy way to show how the vast envelope of hip-hop works; it is a unique culture, which is echoed throughout the world. Travel to almost any country rich or poor and you will find a young generation relating to and communicating through hip-hop. This is an amazing achievement, which has the potential to be a driving force of positive unity, and yet it is also an infectious promoter of all things perverse.
Hip-hop began as a voice from the poor inner city streets of America, and as it gave an unheard demographic vocal chords and unity it resonated strongly with a disaffected youth culture. Interestingly enough, this same culture, which claims still to be a voice from the ‘streets’, now also defines and influences what the ‘streets’ have to say.
The Christian faith and Hip-hop
So where does a Christian fit into this? That is a very poignant question, and one that is causing waves through contemporary Christian culture. There are some who believe that as a Christian it is imperative to disassociate oneself completely from this culture in all its expressions and facets, and yet others who say that we need missionaries to that culture in order to bring light to the darkness. Where you stand in these matters is of extreme importance to those who are involved in this culture on whatever level as it directly affects both how we live as Christians and how we relate to the secular world.
The fifth column explained
Twelve years ago I was reading a book, which was written in the early eighties about music culture and how it affected Christian young people. There was an analogy in that book which struck a chord in my heart and remained with me until now. It spoke of General Emilio Mola during the Spanish Civil War and how he had five columns of troops, four which would approach and attack its enemies in the conventional way, and one which was undercover behind enemy lines, working for a long time before the attack to undermine the enemy’s strength by means of corruption and propaganda. The book was describing how modern music culture was using this method to gradually corrupt Christian young people little by little to lose their faith. This may have some truth in it but what I took from this book and what I now believe to be God inspired for the 29th chapter was a different angle altogether.
A more in depth look at the 5th Column concept.
The 29th Chapter
In regards to Ice-T’s analogy of the hip-hop tree and how Christian rap is a branch on that tree, well we do not believe this to be true for the 29th chapter. We believe that the 29th Chapter are called to be hip-hops fifth column, working behind enemy lines to undermine its power. Who is our enemy? Not the rappers, or the producers, or even the record labels but the spiritual forces behind this culture which make it destructive and lead millions of young people into pain and hurt like the pied piper, all the while telling them that it is the answer to all their problems. Therefore although some might say we are a branch of the hip-hop tree, we are aiming for the root, to prune away the negative power that this ‘tree’ has on its branches. We are not slaves to this culture; we are not bound by its principles, its morals, its beliefs, or its power. We are subject only to Jesus Christ who died to set us free from what would imprison us was it not for his sacrificial death and resurrection. Even if we look like other rappers do on the outside, be assured that what is held within us is extremely different. Our message, ethos, vision and lifestyle contradicts entirely what the media throws out as the stereotypical rap artist, and this is because we believe that God reigns supreme not mankind or hip-hop.
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